Heat pump space heating system



June 6, 1961 c. c. WILLIAMSON HEAT PUMP sPAcE HEATING SYSTEM IN VEN TOR.

Filed Sept. 4, 1959 CARL C. WILLIAMSON ATTO RNEYS United States Patent O 2,986,904 HEAT PUMP SPACE HEATING SYSTEM Carl C. Williamson, 2616 132nd St., Bothell, Wash. Filed Sept. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 838,225 2 Claims. (Cl. 152-429) This invention relates to an improved space heating system, particularly for attic-basement buildings, which incorporates a heat pump.

The reverse-cycle refrigeration system of space heating, commonly designated as heat-pump system, has been widely accepted in the air conditioning and heating industry and comprises a conventional refrigeration system wherein the heat rejected by the refrigerant at the condenser is utilized for heating while the evaporator absorbs heat from the outside air, ground or any other low-grade heat source conveniently available at no cost. The heat rejected at the condenser is the sum of the heat energy equivalent of the work input to the compressor plus the heat absorbed by the evaporator. In summer operation the functions of the evaporator and condenser are reversed and the refrigeration system performs its normal functions of cooling and dehumidication.

As its principal object the present invention aims to provide an improved heating system of the heat pump type for attic-basement houses which is of improved efcency and adds very little to construction and installation costs.

With the above objects and advantages in view, which will each appear and be understood in the source of the following description and claims, the invention consists in the novel construction and in the adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a transverse fragmentary vertical sectional view through a building in which my heating system is installed, the heat pump being shown schematically.

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of one of the apper valves for the vent openings to the attic chamber taken as indicated by line 2 2 in FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one of the basement vent tube assemblies taken as indicated by line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

There are a great variety of heat pump constructions known, such varying primarily in arrangement, choice and capacities of their components. In any case they incorporate a conventional refrigeration circuit of compressor, condenser and evaporator for a suitable circulated refrigerant such as Freon. Furthermore, the compressor and condenser are placed in individual compartments through which air is circulated by respective blowers. Normally the operation is thermostatically controlled. Accordingly, in illustrating the present invention I have only shown a heat pump schematically, its evaporator and condenser sections being designated 11-12 and their respective blowers being denoted 13 14, respectively.

Further referring to the drawings it is seen that for purposes of example I have shown a single story building having a pitched roof v15 with closed overhanging eaves and dening an attic above the ceiling 16 of the living space. The oor 17 of the latter together with the foundation 18 enclose a basement space which for the practice of the present invention is preferably ground surfaced as by concrete 20. In its use hereinafter the term basement shall be defined as a below-floor enclosed space of crawl or standing room height which is below outside ground level or partially or wholly above such level. For maximum eiciency the foundation 18 and side walls 21 are thermally insulated as indicated at 22 and 23.

In the practice of my invention most of the attic space is thermally isolated as a heat storage chamber 24 for ceiling heat losses by blankets 25 of insulation applied between the ceiling joists 26 and by overhead batts 27 of insulation secured to the rafters 28. The batts 27 are purposely spaced beneath the sheathing of the roof 15 and `from the tip of the eaves so that fresh air from eave vents 30 can circulate beneath the roof. This circulation can be further aided by carrying the batts 27 beneath the ridge on collar beams 31 and installing louvers 32 thereabove in the gables. Passages 33 are provided at the ends of the ceiling joists 26 between the blankets 25 and batts 27 for fresh air replenishment to the chamber 24 via gravity-closing liapper valves 34 mounted over a series of openings 35 in the eave closure plates 36. These valves 34 may comprises a pair of upwardly swinging semi-circular flappers 37 centrally hinged on a cross-pin 38 which is staple-mounted at projecting ends. The eave openings 35 are preferably located over outside door and window openings.

At an architecturally convenient location the attic chamber 24 is connected with the basement by a return duct 40 which is preferably formed from rigid insulation material. It is to be understood that more than one such duct 40 may be provided. At any rate the duct 40 connects with the intake 41 for the evaporator section 11, such intake also opening to the basement area so that the blower 13 draws air from both the attic cham-ber 24 and the basement. The exhausted air from the evaporator section 1'1 is pushed through an insulated discharge duct 42 to the outdoors. Circulation in the basement is aided by externally louvered vent tube assemblies 43 mounted at intervals in the foundation headers 44 and each having an inside gravity-closing flapper 45 arranged to open upwardly into the basement about a top hinge pin 46 responsive to a pressure drop in the basement as caused by operation of the blower 13.

Continuing to the condenser section 12 of the heat pump, such has its intake connected by a cold-air return duct network 47 to one or more points in the living spacey and exhausts through a hot-air supply duct network 48 to heat registers in the various rooms. In this manner the blower 14 circulates air through the condenser section 12 to and from the living space while the blower 13 circulates air from the attic chamber and basement through the evaporator section 11 to the outdoors and air is replenished to the attic chamber and basement through the apper-valved openings 35 and vent 43. The duct networks 47-48 are also preferably insulated.

It is well recognized that normally the major heat loss from a living space is through the ceiling. My heating system recovers most of this loss by storing it between heat pump operations and transferring it to the refrigerant at the evaporator of the heat pump during such operations. This storage and recovery is made possible by eicient thermal isolation of most of the attic space and the circulation of the air from such isolated space through the evaporator section while also drawing air from the basement. This latter procedure gives like recovery of most of the heat losses through the floor and from the duct networks 47-48. Location of the eave openings 35 over the outside doors and windows makes possible recovery of some of the heat losses therethrough while the blower 13 is in operation.

During summer operation when the refrigerant flow in the heat pump is reversed, thereby reversing the evaporator and condenser sections, my system has the further advantage that the attic chamber and basement are force ventilated by action of the blower 13. This prevents heat buildup in the attic chamber above outdoor temperature and prevents a buildup of the humidity in the basement above the outdoor humidity.

l' In addition to utilizing heat losses from the livingspace through the ceiling the present invention also includes the use of heat losses from the venting of clothes driers, stove and other Ventilating fans, etc., by conducting such venting into the attic chamber as indicated at 50. lIn this manner such venting is carried to the outdoors via the evaporator section of the heat pump rather than directly as is present practice.

It is believed that the invention will have been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of my now-preferred illustrated embodiment. Changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims be given the broadest interpretation to which the employed language fairly admits.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a building having a basement, living space above the basement, a roof, and an attic between Said living space and roof, thermal insulation thermally isolating most of said attic as an attic chamber spaced from said roof, 'connection from the space between said roof and attic chamber with air from outside the building, air intake ports from outside the -building to said attic chamber and having normally closed apper valves therein adapted to open responsive `to a drawing of air from said chamber, an air duct leading from said attic chamber to said basement, heat pump means located in said basement and having evaporator and condenser sections, an air intake from said basement to said evaporator section and an air exhaust from the latter to 4 outside the building, and means for circulating air from said living space through said condenser section and back to the living space.

2. In combination with a building having a basement, living space above the basement, a roof, and an attic between said llivin'g jspace and root, thermal insulation thermallyisolating most of said attic as an attic chamber spaced from said roof, connection Ifrom the space between said roof and attic chamber with air from outside the building, air intake ports from outside the building to said attic chamber and having normally closed flapper valves therein adapted to open responsive to a drawing of air from said chamber, air intake ports from outside the building to said basement and having normally closed apper valves therein adapted to open responsive to a drawing of air from said basement, heat pump means located in said lbasement and having evaporator and condenser sections, air intakes from said attic and basement to said evaporator section and an air exhaust from the latter to outside the building, and means for circulating air 'from said living space through said condenser section and back to the living space.

References Cited in the le of this Ypatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,623,286 Strahan Apr. 5, 1927 2,680,354 Gygax `lune 8, 1954 2,718,187 Frisby Sept. 20, 1955 2,749,724 Borgerd June 12, 1956 2,829,504 Schlichtig Apr. 8, 1958 

